With only one weekend left in regular season play, Portland State volleyball is now one game behind new conference leader Idaho State University. The Vikings slipped from their first-place position following a shutout loss to the University of North Dakota on Thursday, then got back to their winning ways on Saturday as they took out the University of Northern Colorado in five grueling sets.
With only one weekend left in regular season play, Portland State volleyball is now one game behind new conference leader Idaho State University. The Vikings slipped from their first-place position following a shutout loss to the University of North Dakota on Thursday, then got back to their winning ways on Saturday as they took out the University of Northern Colorado in five grueling sets.
miles sanguinetti/VANGUARD STAFF
Comeback:After kicking off the weekend with a loss, the Vikings responded with a five-set win.
“We gave every point the same level of effort on Saturday,” junior setter Garyn Schlatter said. “On Thursday, it kind of felt like we were going up and down like [a] roller coaster, but on Saturday we played every ball the best that we could.”
Thursday’s match against North Dakota was the second straight loss for the Vikings. After sweeping North Dakota earlier in the season, the team was unable to find an offensive rhythm against their Big Sky rival. For just the third time this season, no Viking player recorded double-digit kills, and the team suffered the lowest hitting percentage of the season at .099. After dropping a close first set, PSU briefly held the lead in a back-and-forth second, but North Dakota pulled ahead at 15-14 and the Vikings never recovered.
Saturday’s performance was an entirely different story, however, as the Vikings controlled the net and regained their offensive momentum. Sophomore middle blocker Katie O’Brien contributed nine blocks, the most by a Viking all season.
“I think certainly the biggest change was that it was a more complete team effort on Saturday,” head coach Michael Seemann said.
Despite being outhit by Northern Colorado in a 25-19 first-set loss, the Vikings were able to come back and win the second by a score of 25-18. The team relied on passing by Schlatter and double-digit kill performances from senior outside hitter Megan Ellis and junior outside hitters Aubrey Mitchell and Jaklyn Wheeler. Schlatter had 41 assists on the night, to go along with a career-high 25 digs.
After the Vikings’ second-set win, the Bears came back and took the third 25-15. The fourth frame was close, with multiple lead changes and ties. Clutch play by the Vikings led to a 26-24 win in that set, and the team managed to maintain their composure in the fifth, winning it 15-10.
“We have been struggling the past couple weeks [with] our offense,” Schlatter said. “On Saturday, we were looking more at one point at a time—not focusing on what had already happened, but being able to maintain a more consistent level by always focusing on what we can do next.”
The Vikings now head back to the Stott Center for the final weekend of the season. They will face Weber State University on Thursday, followed by a showdown with Idaho State University on Saturday in a match that may determine this year’s Big Sky champion.
